


Bound

by habitatfordeanwinchester



Series: Bound [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Asexual Castiel, Asexual Dean, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fairy Tale Style, Hurt/Comfort, Impractical Use of Whales, Inspired by Art, M/M, Mermaid!Dean Winchester, Pirates, Potentially Inaccurate Pirate Culture, Rated For Violence, Slow Build, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Telepathic Bond, Witch Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-23
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2018-05-15 12:19:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5785090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/habitatfordeanwinchester/pseuds/habitatfordeanwinchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Mermaids were just bedtime tales, something mothers told their young daughters at night. Some argued that mermaids were simply bastard sirens who had abandoned their calling. For his part, Castiel had never given them much thought. He’d seen kappas and grindylows, and even the occasional water nymph, so he wouldn’t have ruled out their existence. However, the sight of a merman in the flesh was still quite surprising."</p><p>---</p><p>In which Castiel is a sea witch, Dean is a merman, and soulmate bonds are harder than expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written for the SPN ReverseBang challenge, and inspired by the gorgeous art of [miss-melissa17](http://miss-melissa17.livejournal.com/). You can [reblog the art here](http://habitatfordeanwinchester.tumblr.com/post/137858725407/this-gorgeous-art-was-done-by-abaddon-all-hope), and don't forget to follow her for more amazing work! This work was speed beta'd by the fantastic and endlessly patient [baethazar](http://profoundbondage.co.vu/). Happy reading!

 

“Good morning, Castiel.” Anna greeted him before he’d even opened his eyes. He hated when she did that.

“Mmph.”

She huffed in exasperation, and not for the first time, Castiel wished that Anna were less familiar with his sleeping patterns. It was not an  _ unexpected _ side effect of constantly sharing space, but it certainly was an inconvenient one. Castiel was just grateful that Anna had never suggested utilizing one of her telepathy spells. Space was one thing, but those spells were something else. He’d be loath to hurt her feelings, but he doubted he could survive sharing his mind with Anna.  

Magic like that was forbidden for the Unbound, but someone had seen fit to teach her anyway. Almost no one said no to Anna.

“Uriel is looking for us,” she informed, and Castiel felt the thin mattress of his bed dip drastically as she sank down into it. He buried his head deeper into his pillow. 

“What could be so important that it requires the both of us?” Castiel resolutely refused to lift his head. 

“When do the sailors ever tell us anything?” Anna replied dryly. “Uriel insists that we are sailing into dangerous waters, although I have sensed nothing. He’s called a meeting.”

“Well, it’s comforting to hear our fearless leaders are as transparent as ever.” 

Anna huffed a laugh, immediately picking up on his allusion. “We would have entered that kraken’s lair before anyone even told us the plan.”

Naomi and her first mate, Uriel, were characteristically private about their plans. Castiel was frequently assured that he was not, in fact, aboard a pirate ship, but privately he had his doubts. He found it very hard to believe that the Kingdom would condone the kind of search and retrieval missions he’d found himself a part of.

It had always been a source of amusement for him, how little the pirates actually knew about their so called “sea witches”, and how much mistrust surrounded them. No self-respecting captain would venture out on the water without one nowadays, and few sailors would agree to staff an unprotected vessel. Still, his magic in particular had never felt like the sea to him.

Castiel had called it excessive when Naomi recruited Anna, although admittedly the Captain had acquired his contract for a steal, thanks to his brother. 

Besides, a ship with two sea witches was a good deal more attractive to potential hires. 

After three years of working closely with Anna, Cas had to admit that he appreciated the company, if not the wake up calls. 

Castiel regretfully pulled the blankets down. “Fine,” he agreed. “I will meet you outside.”

“How do I know you won’t just fall asleep again?” 

“You have my word. Now, get out before Naomi launches another one of her investigations.” Castiel said wryly. 

He wished it was simple hyperbole, but their Captain had never been able to shake the suspicion that he and Anna were Bound. The first month Anna was aboard the  _ Discipline _ , she’d been subjected to rigorous tests to ensure that she remained unattached. Naomi’s paranoia could not be reasoned with. It was as if she sensed the potential for disobedience in Castiel. She insisted that employing a set of Bound witches would be disastrous.

Castiel understood the fear, but despised the way she ignored the actual mechanics of the situation. The nature of the Bond was such that a connection was formed the moment one touched their soulmate. Only a drastic shift in personality could cause a Bond to form between people who’d know each other for years, as he and Anna had.

Castiel liked Anna well enough, loved her even, but she certainly wasn’t what he pictured when he imagined his Bondmate. This was not a luxury he often allowed, but, on rare occasions just before he fell asleep, he liked to imagine soft kisses with a boy who looked at him like he was worth more than the magic he possessed.

Anna pulled him from his reverie with a snort. “We’re probably due for an inspection already,” she joked, then flashed him a half smile and wheeled out of his small quarters. Castiel shucked off his sleep set and began assembling his attire for the day. There wasn’t much choice involved. Most of his wardrobe was completely identical. It used to infuriate Anna, but she’d eventually accepted it sometime the previous year with disapproving silence. 

He shrugged on a white shirt and dark pants. His long tan coat was still cold when he wrapped it around himself. A small thread of his magic was enough to warm the fabric, as if it had just been dried in a high noon sun. Naomi had forbidden the use of magic for such things, but given that she had no way of enforcing the doctrine, Castiel was free to do as he wished. 

He yawned widely as he stepped out on to the deck of the ship. The sun had barely risen, but the light he could see skimmed beautifully over the waves. The crew glanced up at him with pity as he moved through them toward Naomi’s quarters. He heard Uriel’s voice far before he entered, which meant that whatever had happened was likely to be unpleasant for him. 

He swung the door open as discretely as possible. The second he did it became apparent he needn’t have bothered, for he appeared to be the last concern anyone had.

“Captain, you know what Crowley’s crew has been saying. This is the area where they were last spotted. We absolutely must renew our defenses!” Uriel bellowed. He addressed his remark exclusively to Naomi. Castiel often thought Uriel truly believed the stories about sea witches. He never seemed to look them in the eye. 

“I’m telling you, we just warded the ship two days ago! It would be a waste of our magic to recast those spells!” Anna defended, physically placing herself in Uriel’s eyeline. “I know you may not believe what you cannot see, but I assure you, there isn’t a hostile presence for miles, and our protections are strong. What you’re proposing would do nothing but exhaust our resources before we even encounter whatever threat you seem so hellbent on engaging!” 

She was truly a sight to behold when she took on Uriel like this. They often went rounds over simple things. Uriel had a very poor understanding of what it is the Talanti actually did, and lack of understanding bred suspicion. Anna, given that she’d offered her services for contract freely, had a good deal more freedom on the ship than he did. Still, Castiel was never certain why Naomi allowed them to argue as they did. (He privately suspected that Naomi had a soft spot for Anna). 

“And how are we to know that this isn’t one of their tricks?” Uriel sneered. 

Castiel bristled at the words and dug his fingernails into the skin of his palm. It was easier than losing his temper. A full pardon for Gabriel was only two years away.

He’d done nothing to deserve their mistrust, but the occasional accident, a forgotten task here and there meant that he was a target. He’d never intentionally disobeyed an order. Unfortunately, the one time he’d forgotten to renew the freshness spells on the ship’s produce had left Uriel with a stomach bug. He could not be convinced that the slight was not purposeful. 

“I understand your concern Uriel, but we must trust that they know what they are doing,” Naomi said. She barely looked up from the course she was charting on her map. Anna’s face broke into a cautious smile. She rarely looked her age, except for when she smiled. Naomi’s expression remained schooled and dispassionate as she addressed Anna. “The both of you will be expected to remain on the forecastle deck. I’ll need to be alerted to any intelligent life forms we may be approaching.”

Castiel and Anna exchanged long looks. “What do you expect to find, Captain?” Castiel asked.

“Rest assured, you will be told what you need to know. Suffice it to say, we’ve gotten reports of some high value targets in the area. We’ve been instructed to recover whatever we can,” Naomi said. Castiel still wasn’t sure where she was getting her “instructions”, as he’d never seen her report to anyone in all the years they’d worked together. 

“This could represent a significant payday for all of us,” their Captain said. An accompanying wave of the hand meant they were dismissed.


	2. Chapter 2

The forecastle deck was not actually unpleasant, it was just cold. He could tell Anna was casting heat charms as well because she always shivered violently whenever she didn’t. Searching the waters was strange. Actually, many of his duties as a so-called “sea witch” were strange. The technical name for his kind was ‘Talanti’. Most people with his particular skillset turned toward the Kingdom, and apprenticed with masters of the Circle. Being a sea witch was hardly a poor alternative, although he hadn’t truly chosen the job. After his brother Gabriel found himself in debt to Naomi and unable to pay, Castiel offered up his skills in a contract. Five years of service in exchange for some debt forgiveness, food and shelter.

It wasn’t a bad deal, considering that Castiel would likely be on the street if he’d remained on land and refused to join the Circle.

He cast his awareness out over the ocean and instantly felt at peace. The sea had always amazed him, existing at all times in such a delicate balance. He could sense the native creatures as they swam. He even noted a pod of whales a few miles away. His ability to read his surroundings took him largely out of his body, so he had to forcibly remind himself to keep his physical form warm enough.

Try as he might, he couldn’t sense anything of the value Naomi spoke of. The sea was dark and deep however, and there was a limit to his awareness. It was entirely possible that whatever they sought was merely at home in the deep sea, away from even his magic.

“What do you think they’re looking for?”

“Something above our rank, judging by the Captain’s insistence on a constant guard.”

“Well, clearly, but that’s not what I’m asking Castiel.”

He gave her a long look.

“Come on, indulge me. I’m bored.”

“You’re aboard one of the most fearsome ships at sea.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t be bored. Besides, you’re doing all the work.” It was true, in a way, Castiel had always had more control than Anna did in matters which had no specific spell. They’d never cleared the process with Naomi, but whenever she ordered them to work together, he and Anna had fallen into an easy rhythm. She sat at his left, her hand on his knee, and he drew her magic from her as he needed it.

Anna’s magical history was still a mystery to him. She rarely spoke of it, but she was skillful in spell work and he suspected she’d received formal training at some point. Castiel, for his part, performed best when he simply willed the magic to do his bidding. Once, when he’d explained this to Anna, she’d compared their methods to opening a door. Anna’s spells worked much like having a key to the door, whereas Castiel relied on force and will to plow through the door entirely. In this way, it always made his work easier when he had more magic to utilize.

Power sharing wasn’t a common practice, and surely if the Captain knew she’d have them separated before either of them could even protest. Luckily, from their seats on the deck away from the others provided all the privacy they needed. Naomi valued experience and discretion in her sailors, preferring to hire qualified employees rather than numerous ones. This of course meant less mouths to feed and fewer opportunities for interruption. However, it also meant that on the rare occasions that the _Discipline_ was boarded by hostiles, Castiel and Anna were expected to add their magic to the fighting efforts.

“I can’t imagine what would be worth all the trouble. Maybe another one of Crowley’s ships?” Castiel ventured the guess without much conviction. They’d encountered one of Crowley’s vessels earlier that summer. Naomi surprised everyone when she ordered the raid, but the treasure had been far beyond what they’d imagined, and the crew was paid handsomely for the danger.

“If it were a ship, then why all the secrets?”

“I think Uriel just likes to rile you.”

Anna rolled her eyes, a sure sign that she was about to tune him out again. He returned the bulk of his attention to the sea. Anna had been telling the truth in the meeting with Uriel, their wards were numerous and strong. He trusted that they would warn him of impending danger, but he chose to obey orders and scan the ocean for potential hostiles anyway. With their light rapidly fading, some of the sailors lowered their nets into the water to capture some fish. This was typical practice at night. If he recalled correctly, it would be Samandriel’s turn to prepare the fish.

By the time night fell, Castiel’s consciousness was so far removed from his own body that he didn’t even notice the darkness.

* * *

 

His return to himself was distinctly unpleasant. He’d been observing a particularly interesting group of dolphins. The older members of the group were teaching the youngest what Castiel believe to be a game. He was startled back to his body by the sound of Uriel’s shouting.

The wind had picked up since he last noted the weather conditions, and the salty brine of the sea air stung at his nostrils. He immediately saw that Anna had left his side as he sat upright and glanced down at the main deck. Most of the sailors were on deck, which was unusual in itself. He searched the faces and bodies for a glimpse of red hair, eventually locating her in the crowd of men who were hauling something over the railing of the ship.

He quickly propelled himself to his feet and raced down to join them. The men had caught something in a fishing net and a shrill and piercing noise like nothing he’d ever heard before assaulted his ears.

Castiel reeled back as they dropped the creature on the deck, recoiling from the writhing mass entangled in their ropes. He heard all the breath leave his body.

Mermaids were just bedtime tales, something mothers told their young daughters at night. Some argued that mermaids were simply bastard sirens who had abandoned their calling. For his part, Castiel had never given them much thought. He’d seen kappas and grindylows, and even the occasional water nymph, so he wouldn’t have ruled out their existence. However, the sight of a merman in the flesh was still quite surprising.

He was more beautiful than any human Castiel had ever seen, even more so than Anna, whom he knew for a fact often used glamour charms. He looked like magic incarnate. Blue and silver circled and twined around both biceps, shifting on his skin like the waves themselves, like smoke trapped inside him. His skin was still soaking wet, but underneath the water, Castiel could see small reflective scales that caught the dim lantern light when he twisted his finely muscled body. His mouth frequently opened to emit a piercing shriek as he struggled, baring his teeth at Uriel every time the towering man attempted to approach.

Castiel thought the merman’s tail might be just as much magical as it was physical. It shimmered blue and grey, flickering with violet where it melted into his dorsal and ulna spines. Most of all, it was his eyes which grabbed his attention. They were a magnificent shade of green that Castiel found exquisitely unexpected given the rest of the merman’s striking coloration. His magic called to Castiel’s like a magnet that had been forcibly separated and then held just out of reach, taunting both sides.

He wished he could ask about the strange feeling, but aggression painted the merman’s face and it was unlikely they would be able to communicate. He hissed and thrashed in the ropes, pulling them off himself with skillful precision. He didn’t even notice he was moving forward through the crowd until he was standing only a few scant feet away, within striking distance if Green Eyes decided to abandon his assault on the ropes that held him prisoner.

Everything else faded into a half-forgotten din. He was ambiently aware of Uriel howling for Naomi, of the rest of the crew was chattering loudly as more and more people flocked to the scene. Surely, this one merman could not be the prize they’d so desperately sought?

He grasped at his power and reached out towards the wards he and Anna had cast on the ship. Sure enough, they’d detected no threat. With his focus flowing through his magic, he attempted to get a read on the merman, but he could sense nothing but panic and magic, the likes of which he’d never seen before. Strangely, even as he observed, it seemed like the power was fading.

“Are you all right?” Castiel asked, sinking to his knees next to the still thrashing mess of rope.

Green Eyes slowed just long enough to glare at him, unwilling to cease his attempts to free himself. Out of the corner of his eye, Castiel saw Uriel move closer in the wake of his greeting.

Green Eyes was not to be fooled and immediately hissed and struck outward with his tail. It wasn’t graceful, but it was effective. Uriel retreated, yelling at Anna to contain the situation.

Castiel tried asking his question again in the Common tongue, to no avail. Blue eyes met green and he asked once more in Enochian. It was rough and unwieldy. Enochian was the language of magic, although it was not one Castiel often utilized. Every Talanti was different, but Castiel had never had much use for words. He suspected that if he’d been trained, his skills nurtured, he might have been able to accomplish more with the use of spells, but he was self-taught. Intent and sheer will had been enough to get him by on the _Discipline_. It was only through Anna’s teachings that he’d come to know any of the language at all.  

The merman looked at him like one might regard someone they distantly recognize, but continued to shed the ropes. Castiel didn’t consciously decide to help, so much as suddenly notice that he was helping.  Together, they’d nearly freed the merman when he opened his mouth.

His voice was deep, reminiscent of a dolphin’s clicking, set to the beat of a sirens song. The sound of it was so surprising that Castiel dropped the binds he was holding. He couldn’t understand a single word, but the cadence reminded him of Enochian speech. He might have tried to communicate again but he found himself roughly jerked backward.

When he turned, he was staring at his Captain. Naomi fixed him with a powerfully annoyed expression. “Please refrain from touching my cargo,” she said matter-of-factly. Her eyes narrowed as she examined the merman. For a long moment the only sound was shifting rope as Green Eyes removed the last of his binds. Everyone waited for the Captain to speak.

“He’ll do nicely. Make sure he’s sedated for the trip.” Naomi told Uriel curtly and turned her attention toward a sailor named, Raphael. “Turn the ship around. Set a course for Durham. We’ve been assured a bonus for speedy delivery.”

“Wait, what do you think you’re doing with him?” Castiel asked, surprised by the distress in his own voice.

Naomi ignored the question and instead addressed her first mate. “Were you alerted to the presence of any others?”

Uriel shook his head tersely. “Your precious witches didn’t even notice this one, he merely got caught in our nets. I suspect he’s a bit simple minded.” Uriel kicked out at Green Eyes savagely when the merman hissed at him. “That is unless they sensed him and intentionally kept it from us, Captain.”

“We were scanning for hostiles! Look at him! It should be obvious that someone like him would never register with our warding!” Castiel protested, straightening up and fixing Uriel with a glare.

“Enough. None of that matters now. We’ve done well,” Naomi told the crew. She looked scornfully down at Green Eyes. “Castiel, Anna, help Samandrial subdue this beast. One of you will be expected to provide whatever rites of protection we’ll require in order to ferry it safely back.”

“Don’t touch him!” Castiel spat, moving in front of the merman. “What’s going to happen to him in Durham?”

“If I were you Castiel, I would be less concerned with the fate of a fish and more concerned with what I’m going to do with my freedom.” Naomi spoke slowly and calmly, but her voice held the edge of someone who knew they’d already won.

“Freedom?” Castiel didn’t mean to engage, but he had to ask.

“I’m releasing you and your brother from my debt, provided we get this thing back to land in one piece.”

Everything in Castiel rebelled. This was no small offer, but Castiel knew it whatever it meant could not bode well for the merman. Together, he and Anna had taken down krakens, sea dragons and even a hydra for Naomi, but he’d never been rewarded like this.

He’d spent the past three years of his life following orders and waiting to see his brother again. Naomi and her crew had done some morally grey things, but everything in him told Castiel this would be wrong. He loved his brother more than he knew what to do with, but he couldn’t trade his brother’s debts for the merman’s life. He couldn’t do it.

Castiel immediately began to draft a deal. He began to calculate how many years of his life it would require in contract to pay for the merman’s release. However, before he could speak, he looked up just in time to see Anna summon the warm yellow glow of her magic. Just like that, the merman dropped harshly into an unnatural sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**_“Wake up.”_ ** The command echoed with power as Castiel attempted to focus his magic. Even still, his voice was quiet and tentative, afraid to be too loud, lest he wake the others. There would surely be hell to pay if he was caught. Naomi, for all that she may have been a fair Captain, was as ruthless as she was ambitious, and Castiel couldn’t begin to guess what she would do if she knew of his plans.

The merman stirred. Castiel was reluctant to touch him. Each time he moved his hand closer he could feel something shifting. It felt like an accumulation of static electricity hovering just beneath his skin, only coming alive when he neared the merman. He was also reasonably concerned about his chances of injury if he were to simply shake Green Eyes awake. 

“Wake up,” Castiel tried again.

This time he was treated to surprise in the mermans brilliant eyes as they flung open. He jerked away from the touch he imagined was coming and Castiel did the best he could to impress calm and helpful emotions into the air, pushing the feelings toward the merman in the only way he knew how. 

It was rough, and frankly borderline offensive, but it was the best option. This is how he would have attempted to communicate with an animal and he worried the merman would interpret the action as patronizing. Aside from the fact that he’d received no formal training in the act, the transmission of thought was a particularly political issue. Even court appointed Talanti rarely attempted it on other people, although it was not expressly forbidden, like Anna’s telepathy spells.

She had once explained the Kingdom’s reasoning, although it made even less sense to Castiel after the explanation.  Spells of that kind were believed to be a slight to Fate. It was said that telepathy was reserved only for Bonded pairs, and any emulation of the process was blasphemy. Of course, it wasn’t as if such spells were impossible, just difficult. The hardest part was finding someone to teach them. In fact, there was quite a demand for them on the black market. 

Castiel had never wanted to learn how to cast those spells. He’d never been motivated to share his mind with anyone. Conversely, Anna was quite adept at the practice, although she used it for money and not for personal gain.

Her telepathy spells could imitate a Bond for a brief period, but they were hard to work and even harder for the recipients to recover from when they faded. Occasionally, when the ship docked, Anna could be persuaded to cast the spell for starcrossed lovers, ones who were not Bound but planned to tempt fate. 

Still, as he attempted to calm the merman, he found himself wishing he’d paid more attention when Anna talked about the spell. He wasn’t sure why he was so certain Green Eyes was intelligent, but it was something he felt in his bones. He felt the merman sizing him up. It did him no good to keep talking but he couldn’t help it. “I need to get you out of here,” Castiel said, gesturing vaguely toward the main deck.

Green Eyes sized up the room, then studied Castiel. When he moved his long shining tail, Castiel saw that he was in pain. It was just like Naomi to leave him without any water. The callous treatment only served to steel his resolve.

“I’m going to have to carry you, alright?” Castiel warned, stepping closer. He moved slowly, waiting for a near inevitable fight. In hindsight, it may have been better to move him while he was asleep, but he wouldn’t forgive himself if he put the merman to sleep against his will.

Progress was slow as he waited to be struck, but eventually he was able to wrap Green Eyes in his arms, struggling to determine how best to lift him. Eventually he settled on a bridal style carrying method. He settled the merman in his arms and began to lift, almost toppling over initially. 

Green Eyes frowned and let out a startled hiss when he was almost dropped.

Castiel couldn’t believe how heavy the merman was. He tried the lift again, this time using his magic to enhance his strength. He’d never done anything like this before, and doing so was bound to put significant strain on his muscles. Usually, normal acts of power wouldn’t drastically affect him physically, but this was particularly hard. He could already feel the end of his magic, the strain on his muscles. He needed to do this quickly. 

He stood, moving toward the stairs and whispering apologies. He didn’t know what to say to the merman but he wanted to talk. He needed to.

There were only six stairs to traverse on his journey to the main deck, but each one felt like climbing a mountain. “Gods, you didn’t look this heavy a moment ago,” he complained, mostly to calm himself. He took the steps as quickly as he could. He wobbled on the fourth and the merman sighed and wrapped an arm around his neck to balance more easily. Castiel straightened, startled at being touched in such a way. His eyes met that of the merman’s and he thought he saw amusement there. 

“You know, this is a lot harder than it looks,” Castiel defended, uselessly. The merman may have recognized his tone because he let out a small huff. It almost sounded like a laugh.  

He swung open the door and was immediately greeted by the moonlight that bathed the deck. Everyone was well and truly asleep and he made his way to the edge of the ship, each step slower than the last. By his best estimate, the merman weighed at least twice a normal human. Castiel suspected that dense muscular tail had something to do with it.

“Almost there. You’ll be back soon,” Castiel found himself reassuring Green Eyes aloud once more. 

“Castiel?”

Anna’s voice broke his concentration and he nearly felt himself leap out of his skin. He tensed as his grip loosened and Green Eyes hissed in his arms. Castiel lowered the merman to the ground and wheeled on Anna.

She stood across the deck, dressed in her nightgown. The moonlight illuminated the expression of pain and confusion on her face. “What are you doing?” 

She asked the question in the tone of someone who already knew the answer.

“I can’t let them do this to him. You know I can’t.” Castiel had never considered using his magic against Anna, but he knew with certainty that he would do what it took to ferry the merman to safety. His newfound allegiance baffled him, but he determined it was the kind of thing one examined more closely only after acting.

“But  _ why? _ ” Anna pleaded. “You’re so close! Naomi is going to let you go! You and your brother can go back to the way it was before!”

“You know as well as I do the brand of people Naomi deals with. He won’t last a week! I’m not going to sell someone into slavery just so I can leave this damned ship. It’s  _ wrong _ !”

“Slavery? Castiel, listen to yourself! You don’t even know if he’s intelligent!”

“He is.” Castiel shot back, and he could feel in his bones that it was true. “Anna, my decision is made. You need to leave.”

Anna steeled herself against the force of his gaze. “I should call for the Captain,” she said slowly, quietly. “I shouldn’t let you do this to yourself.”

Castiel could tell by the set of her mouth that she’d already lost. She hated him for what he was doing, but she was too loyal to turn on him. Anna remained still and silent for a long moment, then, with a small noise of exasperation she stalked forward.

“You’re going to need help if you plan to lift him over that railing. I can smell your exhaustion from here,” she glared at him like she might like to set him on fire but was waiting for a more convenient time. 

Not for the first time, Castiel felt a rush of gratitude and love for her. 

It took a few long moments to convince Green Eyes to let Anna approach. It was clear that he remembered her from before, remembered the magic she’d used to put him to sleep. Castiel was glad Anna had volunteered her aid, because, even funneling all the power he had left into new strength, may not have been enough to carry the merman the rest of the way. 

Castiel returned the merman to the bridal hold he’d used before, and Anna followed them over to the side of the ship, funneling all her magic into making Castiel strong enough to handle the task, whispering the spells below her breath.

“You know,” she began. “This wouldn’t be necessary if you ever helped out with the heavy lifting.”

Castiel snorted and Green Eyes peered up at him as they neared the edge of the ship. Ignoring Anna, he focused his attention on reassurance. “You’re almost home. I am so sorry. You’ll be okay, I promise.” 

Green Eyes focused back on Castiel, as if he were seeing something he didn’t quite understand. He seemed to be struggling in splitting his attention between Castiel and the ocean. 

After what felt like an incredibly arduous journey they made it to the side of the boat. “I don’t know how else to do this, so it might hurt,” Castiel apologized. He suddenly felt a crushing sadness he was unwilling to thoroughly examine. 

He lifted Green Eyes over the edge, trying to balance him as best he could. Anna’s whispered charms filled the air with a staccato beat. He could hear the Enochian words for ‘Silence’ and ‘Safety’ among them. 

“Good luck.” Castiel told him, just as the merman situated himself on the ledge. He sat on it the way one might sit on a chair, dangling his tail over the edge and using his arms for balance as he judged the best way to reenter the water. He glanced back at Cas one more time, and Castiel imagined that he saw the same strange reluctance in those green eyes that he himself felt. The confusion only deepened when Green Eyes reached on and gently squeezed Castiel’s hand. The merman offered him the slightest smile, but it was enough.

Everything he’d gone through, everything that would happen, it was all worth it. For the first time in his life, Castiel had swam against the tide. He’d found a cause he believed in enough to fight for, despite the opposition. And just like that, the touch was gone and he watched that cause dive into the ocean with a muted splash. 


	4. Chapter 4

The shouts rang out well before dawn.

Castiel wasn’t surprised. He’d already decided to stay in bed as long as possible. He’d even written a letter for Gabriel before falling asleep last night, planning to leave it with Anna. He wasn’t even sure whether Naomi would let her deliver it after she discovered his treachery. He worried for his brother, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret his decision. Gabriel had gotten himself into trouble with Naomi’s crew, and he had a fighting chance of getting out of it. There was no telling what would have happened to the merman if he hadn’t intervened.

They came for him shortly. Uriel was the one to haul him out of bed. The Kingdom may have had laws about a fair and public trial, but at sea, Naomi was judge, jury, and executioner. It passed in a blur and Castiel retreated inward.

Uriel and Samandriel escorted him to Naomi’s quarters. Uriel had an expression of dark satisfaction, but Castiel could see Samandriel’s pity. Anna was already in the office, looking at him brokenly. By virtue of being the only two witches aboard, no one could compel them with truth spells. This did him little good however. Everyone had already made up their minds about him.

“I take it you know why you’re here?” Naomi asked, leaning back in her chair.

“Of course not! What’s going on, Captain?”  

She scoffed. “The creature we captured has disappeared in the middle of the night, although I don’t suppose that much surprises you.”

Castiel took a deep breath and told her his carefully practiced lie, the one he’d been reciting to himself when he fell asleep. In this version, he’d spent the entire night in bed, worrying about the situation. He liked to keep his alibis simple. No witness. No collaboration. A simple case of his word against her suspicions.

His word had never meant much to her.

She saw through him immediately, and he remained silent as she debated with Uriel about his fate.

With his life hanging in the balance, he was reminded of his early years. Gabriel always told him that he could stand to be more reckless. Castiel hoped that someday his brother would find out he’d given up his life for someone else.

Naomi initially insisted that Castiel was worth more alive than dead, but after four long minutes of arguing, Uriel convinced her that he was too much of a liability. Uriel claimed that he’d proved himself to be a rogue witch and deserved the highest possible punishment.

“You’ve wasted a perfectly good life, you know?” Naomi told him, just before she gave her final judgment.

Castiel found himself ushered back to the main deck. In front of the prying eyes of the rest of the crew, Uriel and Raphael tied his hands together, binding them tightly in front of him. Castiel suspected that they thought he needed his hand to perform his magic. He didn’t, but it seemed silly to mention it. Instead he allowed himself to be maneuvered.  He didn’t have a death wish, but he did have a realistic idea of his chances. Naomi’s crew wasn’t incredibly numerous, but they shared her values and they were loyal. There was no way he could fight his way out of this.

At his best estimate, he was at least a day’s swim from land. He was a strong swimmer, but even for him it would be a stretch. His tired muscles rebelled at the mere thought. In a different time and place, he’d like to tell Anna how much of a workout lifting the merman had been.

It was clear that his best bet for survival was magic. The few hours of sleep he’d managed had barely managed to regenerate any of his power and he’d never been able to manage breathing underwater. That said, his life had never depended on it either.

The actual method of his execution was simple. Castiel wasn’t sure where people got the idea of disgraced sailors being made to walk the plank.

No, a plank would be much too dignified. It would have wasted space.

The Captain ordered the hit and Uriel clubbed Castiel across the back of the head. His vision when black.

* * *

 

The impact was the worst part. He’d expected it to be the sensation of his lungs filling with water, but it wasn’t. He’d been thrown well clear of the ship and hit the water roughly and sideways. He wasn’t particularly hopeful that he’d be able to escape his binds, but what little belief he’d had collapsed inside him like a dying star. He hit the water so hard he was forced to exhale. As far as he could tell, this would only speed up his eventual death by a minute or so. He twisted and pulled at his binds but Uriel had tied them true.

Changing tactics, he shifted to magic. He tried helplessly to get his mind together enough to direct his powers. He knew he needed to bear down the full force of his will on the ropes, asking them to untie, to burn, to break, anything that would free him. He knew he needed to give it everything he had. He’d done it once before, this sinking into his magic. Gabriel had asked him once what it felt like, to be able to tap into another kind of power and he hadn’t known how to explain it. It was like another limb, right there when he needed it. It was finite, regardless of what the sailors always seemed to believe. He tried to lose himself in it, in the flaming core of his being. He refused to breathe and his head began to spin. Uriel’s blow had left him too dizzy to command his power, but he felt it leaving him erratically, like an underwater SOS.

He could feel the apology of the creatures around him. A clownfish passing far away pitied him. A stingray was sympathetic. His head began to pound and he had just resigned himself to die when he felt something tugging at the edges of his consciousness.

Foreign magic.

The feel of it was nothing like Anna’s power. This was warm, like stepping into a bath that was exactly the temperature he’d been hoping for. It was purposeful where Anna’s had been more wild and undirected. It felt peaceful, like he once felt as a child, when his mother ran her fingers through his hair. With the magic to focus on, he could almost put aside the fact that he was beginning to pass out.

If he were to die today, he thought that might be okay, as long as he was surrounded by this feeling. It was bewitching and captivating, tempting Castiel to fall headfirst into its steady warmth. His own magic wrapped itself around the feeling. Often, magic naturally repelled other magic, at least that’s what Anna said. This was like nothing Castiel had experienced before. He’d never known a euphoria like this and he wouldn’t have even known what to compare it to.

If it weren’t for the burning, crushing ache of his lungs he would think that he was already gone, but pain like this could only be corporeal.

He couldn’t resist. He opened his eyes.

In his travels with Naomi’s crew, their many conquests, he’d seen beautiful and magnificent things. They’d raided places where dead souls still walked, ephemeral ghostly visages surrounding the men as they looted.

In all his life he’d never seen anything quite so astounding as the familiar merman swimming towards him.

A name for the feeling hit him acutely as the last breath left his body. He’d Bonded.

He Bonded with a merman and he was going to die before he learned his name.

* * *

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Waking up was unexpected on all counts. It was unexpected because Castiel hadn’t thought he’d be doing it at all. It was made even more so because, when he finally managed to open his eyes, he found himself staring up at a clear expanse of sky, dotted with stars brighter than anything he’d ever noticed before. His chest ached and his head was pounding out a beat that sounded like a war drum. His body was soaked to the bone and, as he took stock of his limbs, he came to realize that he was most distinctly moving. 

He jerked upward, propelling himself into a sitting position. When he looked down he saw that he appeared to be aboard some kind of moving island. The ground felt smooth and almost warm beneath his hands. He looked out in all directions but he couldn’t see anything else in the moonlight. 

Oddly enough, he felt far better than he thought he deserved. All of his muscles ached, but a significant portion of his power had returned to him. He could feel it coming back to him, little by little. It was slow going, like filling an ocean using only a bucket. Judging from the sky, he’d been out for the majority of the day. He was in the process of examining his body to determine whether he’d actually died when he was hit with a powerful wave of curiosity. 

The emotion itself was terrifying, not in nature, but because it didn’t belong to him. 

_ Are you awake? _

The voice in his head was unfamiliar and demanding, and Castiel’s mind was spinning. This was not how he’d pictured heaven.

_I’m coming up,_ the voice said after a long pause. 

Castiel couldn’t begin to fathom what that meant, but he wasn’t left to wonder for long. Almost immediately the calm dark waters just to the left of Castiel’s strange vessel parted to reveal familiar sandy hair and green eyes.

_You._ It was all Castiel could think to say as he began to piece together the memories of his near death experience. He remembered hitting the water, he remembered struggling and he remembered…

He jerked his gaze back upwards. 

_ Thank you. _ It sounded woefully inadequate, even though it didn’t actually _sound_ like anything at all. 

He isn’t sure what to call his savior, and before he could officially ask, the information was available for him. Dean. The green eyes belonged to Dean. 

_ What is this? _

_ Who are you? _

_ How am I doing this? _

_ Where are we? _

It was impossible to keep up with the exchange of information, with the questions. Castiel wasn’t even sure who was asking them. The full force of the Bond had opened up to him, and it was greater than anything he’d ever imagined. He felt like he was in two places at once, existing in his own body as well as Dean’s. He felt the edges of his consciousness and identity blur. He wasn’t sure how to pull back, but it was impossible to think like this. He’d gone from drowning quite literally, to drowning in Dean. 

He had to put all of his will into thinning the connection, but it was like trying to divert an ocean with a single dam. Every fiber of his being, of Dean’s, called to their minds to maintain the closeness but Castiel couldn’t. It was too new, he couldn’t think clearly that way and he doubted that Dean could either.

It was slow going, but eventually he was able to weaken the strength of the Bond. He’d thought this would feel like a triumph, but instead his mind felt almost empty without the force of their combined emotions.

_ What have you done to me?  _ Dean asked. There was an echo behind it, the residue of Dean’s thought process, existing in a language Castiel had never heard before, but instinctively understood. Dean’s confusion and distress washed through the connection so strongly that Castiel could scarcely tell it apart from his own.

_I didn’t do anything,_ Castiel tried to reassure him. _It’s not my magic,_ _it’s the Bond._

He felt it as Dean struggled with the concept, felt him carding through his memories in search of understanding. He knew instinctively that the Bond didn’t exist for Dean’s race, and he tried to imagine what that would be like.

_ Will it wear off? _ Dean asked.

_ In humans, the Bond is permanent. This is how we find our mates. I couldn’t say if it will work like that now. This situation is unprecedented. _

_ Mate.  _ Castiel sensed Dean thinking on the word, but it wasn’t intended as a communication. He politely chose not comment.

_ It’s a connection. It forms when two people are soulmates. It means they are destined to be in love. _

The words had been drilled into Castiel’s mind for as long as he could remember. He wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to share these thoughts. There was something a bit daunting, vaguely rude even, about telling someone they were meant to be in love. In an effort to be helpful, Castiel called forth his memories of Bonded pairs that he’d known.  

Dean swished his tail in distress, cutting through the water like a blade.  _ This wasn’t supposed to happen. _

_ Why did you save me? _

_...Because you saved me.  _ Dean said, and Castiel felt the gears in his Bondmate’s mind turning, the hesitation in his response. Finally, Dean decided it would be easier to skip the words all together and simply shows Castiel what the experience was like through his eyes. Even in his memories, Castiel felt Dean’s connection to the sea, the near endless wellspring of magic. It was almost a sense of split consciousness. Dean was part of the sea, and the sea was a part of him. The amount of power Dean had access to made what he could manage feel like petty parlor tricks.

The memories and thoughts moved through his brain more quickly than he should be capable of understanding, but somehow he saw each one clearly.  He relived Dean’s capture. He  _ was _ Dean.

Dean had never meant to swim so close to the boat, and he certainly had not intended to go near the nets, but he’d been asked to. A face swirled into Castiel’s mind, a memory of a memory. In it, he saw a bright eyed boy with shaggy brown hair looking up at Dean expectantly.

Before Castiel could even ask, Dean filled in his questions with answers. The boy was his brother. Dean’s brother’s name was Sam. The younger merman had asked Dean for help when one of his dolphin friends insisted on swimming close by the ship.

Castiel saw Sammy’s panicked explanation of the situation, and he felt Dean’s resolve to help. Dean had only just managed to coerce the creature away from the nets when he himself was hauled aboard. From Dean’s eyes, he saw himself approach. Everything moved in a blur and Dean was at war with himself about whether to try fighting his way out. He felt the furious helplessness Dean did when he was put to sleep, and the relief when Castiel woke him.

After Dean had returned to the sea, he was greeted by his brother, who’d been following the ship since he saw Dean disappear. Dean was furious but grateful and had sent Sammy home. He’d been worried about the ship capturing others and he followed the vessel for a while. He’d been incredibly startled when Castiel came crashing into the water, but he’d recognized him immediately.

Even in the memory, Castiel felt Dean sizing up the situation. He watched as Dean figured out that Castiel was being left for dead. Dean had seen him lose consciousness below the waves and reached out with his magic to try to prevent his lungs from filling with water. At last, Castiel saw how he’d ended up on the back of a whale. Dean had ferried him back above water and held him there until the #Discipline was out of sight, and then secured assistance with Castiel’s limp form.

Feeling that he’d made his point, Dean’s memories retreated from the forefront of Castiel’s mind. In their place, Castiel was left only with a single pressing need.

_I need to find my brother,_ he said, trying to communicate the urgency of the situation into Dean’s mind. _He’s in trouble. She’ll be after him._

_ She? _

Castiel shared his last memory of Naomi’s stern face and heard Dean hiss aloud.  

_He owes her money for something that happened years ago. I was working for her to pay off his debt._ Castiel followed Dean’s example, showing him images of Gabriel to enhance his explanation. He brought forth memories of playing together as children, of targeting their older brother Michael. He showed Dean golden eyes that flashed with mischief and a smirk that betrayed his penchant for pranks. He showed him Gabriel’s devastation and fury when Castiel was contracted with Naomi.

_She’ll want to make an example of him, and of me,_ Castiel pleaded. _Please, I need to get back to him._


	6. Chapter 6

Castiel slept fitfully. Dean woke him occasionally to direct him in switching whales when his vessel wanted to dive more deeply.

_ How did you get them to agree to this?  _ Castiel asked, as he climbed to the back of a new, slightly smaller whale.

Dean’s initial confusion washed through their Bond before he picked up on Castiel’s meaning. Castiel had never known anyone who Bonded with someone whose language they did not speak. It had surely happened, but Castiel had been given no framework for it. It didn’t seem to be much of barrier in practice, but it was strange to know that he was understanding and being understood in a language he had no real knowledge of.  _ Whales are generally very agreeable, _ Dean told him.  _ They were heading in this direction. I merely promised them protection if they would take turns carrying you. _

_ I appreciate it. _

Dean seemed surprised by the words.  _ Of course. I wasn’t going to let you die.  _

The sheer revulsion Dean felt at that thought surprised the both of them, as did his follow up question.

_Are you sure you're alright?_

_I think so. Physically, I’m likely better than expected for someone who was recently left for dead._

Dean paused for a long time. _Your words don’t match up with what you’re feeling, Cas._

Castiel’s lips pulled into a wry smile. _Is lying a human thing?_

_My people lie and cheat, just as yours do, but I doubt any of them would try to be untruthful with someone who was reading their mind._

Castiel couldn’t contain his laughter at that. It bubbled up out of him and rang through the silence.

_You’re scaring the whales,_ Dean chastised him, but Cas could tell he was teasing.

_ Tell them I am deeply sorry. _

_ It’s too late. They’re going to leave you.  _

Castiel snorted and sat up on his elbows. If he looked very closely into the water he could almost make out Dean’s form swimming next to the whale, hidden just beneath the waves. _I’m glad to see sarcasm is universal._

Instead of responding, Dean merely relayed his amusement, and his satisfaction over being the cause of Castiel’s happiness. They let the good feelings hang between them for a long moment before Dean finally asked a sobering question. _What will happen to this…Bond of yours when you’re back on land?_

Dean sounded so suspicious that Castiel’s mental amusement translated into an actual, physical laugh. _Technically, the Bond is part of both of us. Though I am sorry I involved you in any of this._

It’s a waste of energy to try to lie to Dean, they had just determined as much, but he couldn’t help it. The truth wasn’t exactly pleasant. 

_You’re worried,_ Dean thought slowly.

Castiel couldn’t argue. Their Bond was unconventional at best. This kind of connection normally formed when two potential mates touched. There were occasional variants, of course. A handful of people would form the Bond when they first kissed, particularly if they’d met when they were very young and only recently matured into suitable Bondmates. He’d never heard of the connection forming when magic touched magic.

_It may not go well,_ he admitted finally. _You leaving me._

Castiel hadn’t really thought about it until that moment, the part where Dean was going to leave. But Dean had done more than enough for him. He’d saved him, he was helping Castiel return to land to save his brother. He had his own life with others of his kind, and he had a brother to care for. Dean allowed the silence to hang between their minds, sensing Castiel’s rapidly cycling thoughts and his reluctance to divulge everything. 

_ Sometimes they use the separation as torture. It’s a military thing, reserved for only the worst criminals. They take prisoners of war away from their kingdoms, leaving them just on the cusp of breaking the connection. Staying there for too long is supposed to drive you mad, but I can’t say for sure if it’s true. _

_ Why not? _

_ Where I come from, no one argues with the Bond. It just is.  _

_ Then what are we going to do? _

_ I guess we’ll have to find out. I’ll admit, it’s not so bad having you in my head. _

_I wish I could say the same._ Dean shot back. Castiel turned his head to look at his Bondmate.  Dean had surfaced and was swimming with his head above water, smirking. 

He was beginning to see why the Bond would pull them together.

_Aww, you like me,_ Dean thought matter-of-factly in Castiel’s general direction.

_You’re not so bad,_ Castiel admitted.

 


	7. Chapter 7

It was the middle of the afternoon when they finally drew close enough to land for Castiel to identify the city. It looked like Hathrobar, as near as he could tell, which was lucky for him because it meant he was only a day’s ride from Durham. He believed the whales had kept a relatively steady pace during their travels, although they’d only been swimming at around half the speed that the _Discipline_ would normally sail. If he was lucky, Naomi would not search out Gabriel immediately and he would have time to warn his brother that the deal was off, maybe shelter him away somewhere. 

The whales insisted that Castiel be left relatively far from shore. No amount of reassurance would convince them that their young would be safe to travel closer, and Castiel couldn’t blame them for their hesitation. He slipped from the back of his most recent whale vessel and into the water. After so long it took him a moment to orient himself in the water. 

Through the Bond, he saw himself as he looked to Dean. Clumsy and young, swimming so ineffectively without the use of a tail.

_ I’m making do with what I have, okay?   _ Castiel teased back in response to the amusement that buffeted him through the connection. 

Luckily, Dean was a light touch and after a long moment of watching Castiel swim, in which he was only caught laughing out loud once, he agreed to help ferry Cas a little closer to shore. 

Although they were clearly Bonded, they’d not made any motions toward intimacy or even explicit affection or contact. It was a schoolgirl kind of shyness that Castiel had never known before. He’d always imagined what love would look like, and now that the universe had drawn a clear map to his soulmate, they’d yet to even hold hands.

Castiel tried to hide the way his heart pounded a little faster when Dean moved closer to him. It was determined that the best way to proceed would be for Castiel to hold Dean’s hand and merely work on minimizing his water resistance. Dean was able to call upon the ocean, using unnatural waves of his own making to propel them faster. 

_Neat trick,_ Castiel teased. 

_You know, it’s not too late for me to leave you here._

As they neared land, Castiel warned Dean to steer far clear of the docks. He could only imagine the kind of stir their presence would cause if they were spotted. Instead of a direct approach, they chose a secluded bit of shoreline, one which was quite hidden by plants and trees. Castiel almost cried with excitement when he finally felt his feet touch the sandy bottoms of the ocean floor. 

_ You really enjoy walking so much? _

_Well, I **am** built for it,_ Castiel reminded Dean, gesturing to his still submerged legs. _Thank you again_.

_If this were one of Sammy’s bedtime story, the prince would say something very impressive, like ‘a life for a life’,_ Dean told him. He freely shared his memories of a beautiful blond woman who used to read to him. He then showed Castiel images of himself, reading the same stories to his brother.

_ Are you the prince in this scenario? _

Dean snorted. _I thought that was obvious._

Castiel laughed out loud. He was reluctant to actually leave the water and he wiggled his toes in the sand. He was situated only a mere foot away from Dean, but he wasn’t sure what kind of goodbye the situation demanded.

It was time for Castiel to leave, but, as much as he knew he needed to search for Gabriel, he didn’t like the idea of leaving Dean. He tried to shield that particular emotion from his Bondmate. It was one thing to form a spontaneous Bond with a merman, it was quite another to actually like him.

_Well,_ Dean began, and Castiel could hear the grandiosity in his tone. _Look me up if you ever find yourself at sea again._

_ Dean, you will still be in my head. We can arrange a visit. _

_Absolutely not. I insist on being surprised. The more inconvenient the better, actually._

It set off a pang in Castiel’s heart that he now knew Dean well enough to sense that  he was using humor to cope. 

Finally, Castiel forced himself to turn away and begin swimming to the shore. As the distance between them grew, he let more and more of his mental walls. He let his Bondmate sense  his fear, his excitement, and his hope that they would meet again soon. 

_ We still don’t know what happens now,  _ Dean’s voice echoed uncertainly in his mind.

He felt his expression shift into a half-smile before responding:  _ We’re pretty resourceful. I’m sure we’ll figure something out. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, now that the story is finished, it's time for an author's note. I normally try to keep these very short, but I do have a few things I'd like to add: 
> 
> First of all, as you may have noticed, this story appears as part of a series, which I do intend to continue someday. That said, this part of the story is complete and designed so that it could be read as a standalone piece. If you've ever read any of my other works, this may seem like quite a departure. As I was writing, it became clear to me that I really wanted a slower pace to this than the things I'd written before. Because of that slower pace, I feel like I should probably personally address the asexuality tags you may have noticed on this work. While it isn't a particularly prominent feature in this part of the series, Dean and Castiel are both asexual in this universe, and that will be addressed in later works. I also tried to capture some of the fairytale elements Melissa's art evoked in my mind, and because of that, this may spiral into a rather long saga. 
> 
> Finally, don't forget to check out [Melissa's other amazing art pieces](http://abaddon-all-hope.tumblr.com). As for me, I'm available on [Tumblr](habitatfordeanwinchester.tumblr.com) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/heatherkcassady). I'm always happy to talk! 
> 
> If you enjoyed this story, or even if you just enjoyed the art, it would be awesome if you'd like to [reblog this post](http://habitatfordeanwinchester.tumblr.com/post/137858725407/this-gorgeous-art-was-done-by-abaddon-all-hope).


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